adding oil cooler question

[rezdiver]

I have the 1974 RRC and it has the 3.5 with lt77 gearbox and LT230 transfercase. will be doing a lot of towing.

for the LT77- How good of an idea is it to add an oil cooler (or the newer design radiator with tranny cooler integrated) and plumb it for the engine oil?

is there an adapter for fitting a cooler before or after the oil filter or anywhere else on the engine?

also how is the transfercase for cooling, could it use an oil cooler or is it even possible to plumb in one in since it is just sitting in an oilbath?

[Greg M]

Well, I don't know too much about the older rovers design, but my transmission was designed with an external cooler mounted in front of the radiator. An external oil cooler instead of one that is integrated with the radiator is supposively a better design. Also, from what i've read the square multi row design is better than the round design found on many rovers. When you're towing its really the transmission you need to be the most concerned about. Heat kills trannys. Period. However, if you want to add an engine oil cooler, and it wont hurt, then yes you can plumb it into the oil pump. I can't recall from memory which one is "out" or "in", but just take a look. You can buy an original oil cooler with all the plumbing from someone like rovers north, or you could save a few bucks and buy an aftermarket. Just google it. The transfer case is gear driven, and like your differentials, don't have the extremes placed upon them like engines and transmissions, therefore even if you could tap into the transfer case, there is no need. I hope this helps.

[rezdiver]

thanks, but i thought that external oil cooler was for automatic trannies only, and not standard 5 speed trannys?

also i know that on all my other automatic rovers there are both the radiator oil cooler AND the external cooler for the tranny.

[Paul Grant]

I can attest to the fact that there is no oil cooler on my '85 RRC with an LT77. I don't know what the Chrysler 727 had on it. I'd think the easiest thing to do would be to grab an oil pump and hoses off a mid '90's RRC and run an after market oil cooler. I don't know what would be involved with tapping cooling lines into an LT77.

[rqsall]

My '91 has an engine oil cooler integrated in the radiator and the external oil cooler for the LT77 manual gearbox. However, it was originally shipped to the middle east, so that may have something to do with it.

[rezdiver]

next time you are underneath the truck would you mind looking to see how and where things are plumbed for the engine cooler and the gearbox cooler and maybe snap some pics. only if you get a chance.
cheers,
Reza

[gordo]

Originally Posted by Paul Grant

I can attest to the fact that there is no oil cooler on my '85 RRC with an LT77. I don't know what the Chrysler 727 had on it. I'd think the easiest thing to do would be to grab an oil pump and hoses off a mid '90's RRC and run an after market oil cooler. I don't know what would be involved with tapping cooling lines into an LT77.

x2 on the lines and aftermarket cooler, but would you need to change the pump? Im not sure on that, Paul probably knows better. I think I have an extra set of lines and an adapter for the pump if your interested PM me. Gordo

[p76rangie]

To run an engine oil cooler, there is an adaptor that screws on where the oil filter goes and then the oil filter goes on the adaptor.

To run any oil cooler you need an oil pump in the unit you are trying to cool. The gear box and transfer case do not have oil pumps. Landrover did bring out a cooler for the transfer case, but it was a heat sink type. The heat sink replaced the main cover on the transfer case.

[TerryS]

I know there were a dozen different varieties of LT-230 Transfer cases, so it wouldn't surprise me if there were many flavors of LT-77 transmission. That said, when all the NAS 110 Defenders came to the US, they had LT-77 transmissions, and most people had them changed out to R380 transmission when Land Rover offered. They had transmission fluid coolers on them.
As for the engine oil cooler, do as Ian says, and just get the oil cooler adapter that goes between pump and filter. Installing it is simply to remove the filter, place the adapter on, thread on the hollow stud (goes onto the thread which the filter would go on, and then run the lines. I also think I'd run an external, aftermarket heat exchanger, rather than the one in the right side radiator tank. A fluid to fluid heat exchanger might be more efficient, but the radiator is running at 190 degrees to begin with, and you're not putting the oil heat back into the coolant with an external.

[rqsall]

Originally Posted by rezdiver

next time you are underneath the truck would you mind looking to see how and where things are plumbed for the engine cooler and the gearbox cooler and maybe snap some pics. only if you get a chance.
cheers,
Reza

Going in there tomorrow (removing the radiator), I'll try to remember. What I remember from being under it a week or two ago, is that there's two metal tubes going all the way from the gearbox, along the engine sump (two sump bolts also hold a bracket for the tubes) to the front.

[onslow]

Originally Posted by rezdiver

I have the 1974 RRC and it has the 3.5 with lt77 gearbox and LT230 transfercase. will be doing a lot of towing.

for the LT77- How good of an idea is it to add an oil cooler (or the newer design radiator with tranny cooler integrated) and plumb it for the engine oil?

is there an adapter for fitting a cooler before or after the oil filter or anywhere else on the engine?

also how is the transfercase for cooling, could it use an oil cooler or is it even possible to plumb in one in since it is just sitting in an oilbath?

No need for either you can damage the lt77 using a cooler they are designed to run hot if they can cope with oil states heat and abuse then you will have no problems just use good quality ATF (yes I know its meccy box) as prescribed (check for incorrect oil, gear oil will destroy an LT77) landrovers were always designed to take into account "the one idiot who wants to tow 2 tons across the sahara" landrovers words not mine!!

Dont mess with the original design you are looking for improvments that are unnessacary even the engine oil cooler will serve little or no benefit as the 3.5 is unstressed, if you do want an insurance for towing fit 2 good cooling fans on a manual switch but do not remove the viscous fan.

I have seem more dead V8s because of after market automatic electric fan kits fail or the fuse blows or the stat is incorrectly set or the fans have been wired the wrong way round they are crap the viscous fan is there to a job it does it well but a little support might help in certain situations.

[rezdiver]

"No need for either you can damage the lt77 using a cooler they are designed to run hot"

can you please answer the questions below regarding your comment:

-what areas specifically are prone to damage if the LT77 is not run hot?

-also what is the specific hot temperature that you are mentioning? or how many degrees? is this rover specific or from a manual, where can i find moer info?



-as for the 3.5 not being stressed, it will be after i am done with it...

[p76rangie]

Rezdiver, you have to take into account that onslow is from the UK where a hot day is 70F. When I am towing my oil temp will rise without my water temp rising. I have an engine oil cooler and would not go without it.

[onslow]

Originally Posted by rezdiver

"No need for either you can damage the lt77 using a cooler they are designed to run hot"

can you please answer the questions below regarding your comment:

-what areas specifically are prone to damage if the LT77 is not run hot?

-also what is the specific hot temperature that you are mentioning? or how many degrees? is this rover specific or from a manual, where can i find moer info?



-as for the 3.5 not being stressed, it will be after i am done with it...

It amazes me still that some people cannot just accept the fact these machines are designed for use by civilian and military personel the world over towing in more severe conditions than any civvy owner will ever encounter yet you still demand facts and figures 110s were hauling sankey trailers through sand in Iraq in 90 and more recently with good old lt77s strapped to the v8s and TDis without oil coolers and other fancy crap,similarly in Africa and many other Hot countrys the landrover is designed for worldwide use that is why you can go to any country in the world and find them,just because I live in the UK means absoloutly Bollocks all in what i am saying I have studied landrover for most of my life and have friends in the REME who have taken these machines all over the world and learnt from their experiences so its fine by me fit your oil coolers and other fancy stuff at the end of the day its not my money if you want advice then listen to what people have to say if not dont bloody ask, this is the internet if you want info search for it read it and do what the hell you want if you dont want opinion dont bloody ask for it,go away and find out the hard way like I had to

Spend your money as you see fit if you are that damn confident go do it!! fit your oil coolers sit in your smug little world,ive been there son ive done it!! you can sit here demanding your evidence truth is mate you aint going to get it because I cant recall the exact paragraph for such a book I read 10 years ago or the article in a magazine in 1990 go find out for yerself when you have then you earn the right to critise those than know and understand Landrovers and how and why they were built there are some real diamonds on this site and some real ass holes who think they know what they are talking about when really they know squat.

have a look at the list below then compare it to the oone you can make this friend is called experience something you cant read about or buy its EARNED

[p76rangie]

Onslow, the oil cooler I have on my Rangie is the one fitted by the military to their landrovers. The heat-sink type cooler for the transfer case I mentioned was also built and fitted to the military landrovers. The military spec landrovers here are vastly different to the civilian ones. So if you are solely basing your argument on what military landrovers can do, then they should fit the coolers.